November 3

Tuesday, November 03, 2009 14:27

1920

During his stay in France, Nguyen Ai Quoc, along with some other compatriots, attended the meeting of the Third International in District 13, Paris. A leftist group within the Communist Party of France, this organization changed itself to follow the Communist International.

File photo of President Ho Chi Minh

1946

After establishing a new government, President Ho Chi Minh announced before the National Assembly: “The legislature’s policy is that the new cabinet must be set up based on the spirit of unity, without discrimination between political parties. As a result, many talented persons have agreed to join the Government and some others said they would support it from outside. All of them, whether in or outside the cabinet, are willing to serve the nation.

“I would like to announce before the NA that this Government will respect the spirit of national unity, pursue practical goals and try its best to safeguard independence, unify the country, and build a new country.

“Our Government is a combination of talented individuals from the North, Center, and South. Some persons in the South have not only been safeguarding the country but also rebuilding it. With the support of the NA and all the people, the new Government will certainly fulfill its talks, despite all the challenges ahead.”

The same day he met his elder brother, Nguyen Sinh Khiem, also called Nguyen Tat Dat, who came to Hanoi from Nghe An to visit him after more than 30 years of separation. At their meeting, the President improvised the following verses:

So much time past since our separation Despite turbulences, heaven and earth exist The time has come for our reunion

1961

During his stay in Moscow for the Communist Party Congress, he visited High School 415 and spoke to students there.

He advised them that “a communist must have communist morality. Unlike for adults, the communist morality for you is to study hard, be of help to adults, and have a sense of solidarity and discipline.”

1964

In “Prestigious fame well known all over the world” in Nhan Dan (The People) newspaper, the President praised a revolutionary armed unit for its victory in a battle in Bien Hoa airport in South Vietnam on October 31.

The article read: “If the US wants to avoid shameful failure similar to the one it incurred in Dien Bien Phu, it has only one course, which is to immediately end its invading war in South Vietnam, withdraw its troops, and let the Southern people deal with their internal issues.

“Our reputation known well all over the worldOur weapons will destroy invadersOur resounding victories shake the White HouseAnother Dien Bien will come to the Americans soon.”

1968

The President issued an appeal to people and soldiers across the country at a time when the US announced its decision to halt its bombing campaign in the North.

He wrote: “Our people’s sacred duty now is to strengthen their determination to defeat the enemy, liberate the South, and claim peace and unification for our Fatherland….

“Whenever an invader remains in our country, we must fight and drive him off... The Fatherland is calling on us to move forward to completely defeat invading Americans.”

By Duong Trung Quoc* and his assistantsThe author is a historian and member of the National Assembly